You know you’ve been using computers to much when….

All of your mental calculations are off by one, because you keep counting form zero.

You surround long strings of written arithmetic in parentheses, based on the Operator Precedence in ANSI C; and wish the rest of the world did the same.

You habitually use semi-colons and comment symbols in documents, as if they were natural.

You can’t remember the last time you spoke to someone on the phone.

You give people your Instant Messenger, rather then you’re phone number

You can type your login faster then your street address.

Your calculator has it’s own programming language, but you can’t make it count from zero.

When you forget something, you blame it on your brain not “swapping” the data from short-term to longer-term memory in time.

You think people are backwards, if they don’t understand SI

Debating the endianness of various date formats sounds like fun

You have to pause to remember how to write rarely used letters in cursive, because you haven’t written on paper in years.

You’ve named a computer in honour of HAL9000s female counterpart.

Words like grep, parse, regular expression, archive, constant, null, void, port, IP, socket, packet,; are imprinted on your vocabulary. much to your friends annoyance.

You describe the functioning of your brain, as if it was a computer; because you’re not a neuro-specialist.

You would rather use /bin/ed then notepad.exe

You have several command prompts open at all times, even on Windows.

You can tell the difference between explorer.exe and My Computer.

You can’t tell the difference between explorer.exe and your Windows taskbar, system tray, start menu, and the file manager.

You write corrections to the last message, as if invoking SED.

You use single quotes to define literal text.

You use regular expressions in place of long lists of related identifiers.

You think people are gay, if they don’t think the Macbook Pro is sexy.

You write the “show work” for maths questions in pseudo code, showing the algorithm used instead of the numbers.

You know the size of a byte is machine dependent, but never used a machine without an 8bit byte.

You’ve used 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, and 64-bit systems, but wonder what will cause commodity systems to go 128-bit in the future.

You have more e-mail, then you can shake a stick at (after spam)

You haven’t used a real dictionary or encyclopedia in years.

Your desk is a dumping ground for CD-ROM disk jackets, but your home directory is neat as a whistle.

You haven’t seen a razor blade in months, but a program got written on time.

telnet and tcpdump are your favorite solutions to networking problems.

You write about network communications, as if they were PF rule sets.

You keep using -> to dereference “mental pointers” in text.

You write encrypted messages in hexadecimals or octal first, then apply a caesar chiper before encrypting them.

After so many years, that rodent with a long tail on your desk is nick named “the rat”

You use the keyboard for damn near everything, short of opening cans.

$ program folder1/folder2/folder3/filename.ext feels more natural then double clicking my computer, double clicking folder1, double clicking folder2, double clicking folder3, and then finally double clicking filename.ext.

Especially when you can type this as prog/f1/f2/f3/file.ext by using the TAB key completion of your shell, using file managers feel clumsy.

Binary files annoy you, because they can’t be easily read in text editors

You know Integrated Development Environments exist, but have yet to find one better then a UNIX shell, text editor, and development tools.

Proof reading is your favorite way to debug EIDTENT.

You write things like: let foo = [ item1, item2, item3, item 4]; whenever you want to define a list of data in chats.

You meet an attractive woman, and wonder if she is computer literate.

You can use several different styles of operating system interchangeably without problem.

People ask you for something, but don’t tell you how many, and you respond with “enter an integer”.

Your bookshelf is full of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Foo Quck References, and Networking books.

You’ve sent people messages in hexadecimal, more then once.

If you had more money, your bedroom would be like a cave with 50 computers humming.

You remind your dog, that a laptop is not a pillow.

The hum of your file server keeps people awake.

Finding old PC parts is like presents under a Christmas tree

….

I can’t believe I am reduced to this…

I finally decided to try something I’ve never bothered with before: X over SSH. Despite it’s pro’s and con’s, I actually do like the X Windows System for the most part, but rarely have time to go spelunking through X.Org.

I installed XMing on my Windows machine (sal1600), booted my laptop (dixie), and ran some tests using Xming.exe / PuTTY.exe – highly successful, and quiet a look on my face, when I saw gVim on FreeBSD, pop up on Windows XP!

Connection link is as follows:

WRT54G Router/Access Point  ->|
| <- WPA Personal /w AES algorithm
dixie -> ~54Mbps 802.11g ->|
sal1600 -> ~54Mbps 802.11g ->|

Personally, I would prefer Gigabit Ethernet connection and some good cat-6 cable, then drop the router for something a bit more direct… but I can’t lol.

dixie runs FreeBSD 7-STABLE; sal1600 runs Windows XP MCE (SP3).

A few quick batch files to make calling XMing easier then kicking XLaunch into ‘just what I want’:

==> xming-1win.bat <==
@echo off
cd /d P:NetworkRemoteXming

start /B .Xming.exe -clipboard -keyhook -lesspointer -unixkill -nowinkill -screen 0 1280x800@1 -swcursor

==> xming-multiwin.bat <==
@echo off
cd /d P:NetworkRemoteXming

start /B .Xming.exe -clipboard -keyhook -lesspointer -unixkill -nowinkill -swcursor -multiwindow

For SSH, I copied my setup in PuTTY for Dixie; enabling Compression and X tunneling, and bingo -> X11 over SSH. Launch Xming, run PuTTY -load Dixie-X11, and bingo! For the same of speed, I also changed PuTTY to using a faster encryption algorithm then what I normally use for a shell. Adding more fonts is quite a necessity, but rather limiting if you don’t like 12px fonts. I can’t help but wonder, if Xming would work with fonts installed on X.Org; only two ways I know to find out; grep X or test it. Note to self: double check memory of how X Servers handles fonts, against the documentation (it’s been awhile). IMHO running X this way is a liability, even over SSH, and a WLAN even worse. But it is quite nice to see, even under this kind of equipment, it’s actually quite usable. I so need a replacement keyboard for my laptop!!!

Going ballistic.

Hmm… I wonder, if I yank off my monitors from the desk… scrounge around for an old USB2-PS/2 convertor; I could hook up the desktops keyboard to the laptop…. just maybe…. Mmm, maybe even use the desktops monitor as an external (will need to tweak BIOS/X)

Trade my speedy dual core, 2 gig of ram packing game machine for a little old laptop with crappy sempron, and a slow half gig of ram? To actually have a working environment I can _use_ and not want to hex-edit the executables into the the darkest levels of DooM (*cough* I hate windows *cough* as a work station *cough*).

Yeah, I’d do it in a heart beat….

And I mean both, lol.

Going out of my mind, Phase II.

Grr…. 6+ hours in attempts to allievate the keyboard problem have resulted in a fouled up beyond repair keypad; this means either I find a replacement keyboard, or a replacement laptop.

What worries me is /finding/ a replacement. The laptops about 2 years old, and was “old” at the time, hence why it was on sale to make room for newer packages lol. Even at vendor-side prices, I should be able to afford a new keyboard module, if I can find one! Buying a new laptop, that’s a different story… sure as hell ain’t room for that in the budget lol… The fact that the most suitable laptop systems (refurb) have gone up in price, over $200 for the holidays don’t help either…

My working environment rules out the use of an external keyboard, mouse, or monitor; so any way you slice it, I’m screwed until I get a replacement keyboard. It’s only 0135R, and I’m already bored stiff. Played a few maps on [SAS] Proving Grounds #1, nice to see I can still work that games MP5 trigger like an artist for double taps ;-). Played a bit of the new maps on [SAS] Training Grounds #3, good maps and good practice — but I miss my Dixie 🙁

I’m used to being camped out with a laptop all night, terminal on one virtual desktop (with vim sessions), web browser and chat on the second, and the third on standby. Living with Windows until I can get a replacement….

IS THERE ANYTHING WORSE WORSE THEN TAAT!?

I miss my FreeBSD powered mobile work station….

NO, NO, NO NO, THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING !!!

No wonder I’m typing things like ’tis’ so often lately, in vim where ‘h’ is the key to move te cursor one char to the left; I tried the command ‘7hr’, meaning move 7 char to the left and replace the letter under the cursor with the next typed key-stroke.

I had to type ‘7hhhhhhhhhhhhhh’ on my keyboard to get ONE H !!!!

Now wonder Control+H has been taking so long to backspace over crap….

My laptops h key is starting to ignore keypresses! I tested it in urxvt/screen, vim, firefox3, and xchat; then tried xev and using the system console… same results. This is horrible !!! I’m going to have to dismantle my laptops keyboard later and take a look…. This is _BAD_. I use my laptops keyboard a lot, so muc in fact that tere is no label left on my ‘N’ key, and the ‘D’ and ‘H’ meys labels are half faded out haha.

CRUD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don’t need many keys, only about 56 -> the average PC keyboard has 104 keys today, but finding 105/107 key models are not uncommon either. With a laptop, I basically demand 12 hours of typing comfort out of the 56 keys I need, same as any other keyboard I use….

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Writer’s Block: Eat, Drink, Be Merry

Thanksgiving is almost here in the U.S., heralding the start of the holiday season and the first of many meals where you might be confronted with a traditional dish that you happen to find disgusting. What holiday food do you hate to see on the table?

Live Journals Writer’s Block

!!! TURKEY !!!

There, I’ve said it! lol. I’m not fond of turkey, because until this year there has always been a 22lbs average of turkey for 4 people -> I like leftovers, but not that much man! I don’t really care much for Chicken either, but I eat it when that’s what is given. Although I wasn’t raised that way, I am the sort of person that will eat what ever is put in front of me, if I consider it palatable enough to stand it.

That reminds me of a family joke; my father telling my mom. that he would do anything for her. To which the rest more or less goes like this:

My mom: “I know one thing you won’t do”
My dad: “What’s that beautiful?”
My mom: “Cook a turkey!”
My dad: “You’re right, I won’t do it!”

Like my father, I would prefer a HAM :-). But the turkey is what is on the table, so that’s what I eat til the next moon cycle lolololol.

N.B. Stuffing that was cooked in the bird, I don’t consider palatable; cooked outside, s’ok.

2008-11-24 T22:46:45 UTC

Kicking back, having fun watching space balls while I dig into stuff from my
laptop. Stuck in the DVD, moved the dresser out of the way (so I can watch the
TV), pulled an old computer core up to the bed for use as a table… Say down
and had some Kellogs. Now I’ve got my feet resting on the computer, laptop on
an old chessboard (baleneced on my lap), and pillows behind me to give me some
support, & comfort while sitting on the edge of the bed.

I’m not even bothing with X, I’m working in the FreeBSD console. Need to sort
out a quick music for mplayer, I’ll leave it running on another virtual
telitype. Ahh, I don’t care if the sn goes nova, I’m gonna sit here and enjoy
suff. Work starts tomorrow afternoon, and it’s the kinda job that won’t leave
me any time to myself (worth mentioning), until I get off work the next day;
his weeks gonna be a general P.I.T.A. until next month, so may as well…

An old cowpoke went riding out onme dark and windy day
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way
When all at once a mighty herd of red eyed cows he saw
A’plowing through the ragged skies and up the cloudy draw
Yippee-yi-yay-yippee-yi-yoh the ghost herd in the sky
Their horns were black and shiny and their hooves were made of steel
Their brands were still on fire and their hot breath he could feel
A bolt of fear shot through him as they thunder through the sky
For he saw the riders coming hard and he heard their mornful cry
Yippee-yi-yay-yippee-yi-yoh the ghost riders in the sky
Their faces gaunt their eyes were blurred their shirts all soaked with sweat
He’s riding hard to catch that herd but he ain’t caught them yet
‘Cause they’ve got to ride forever on that range up in the sky
On horses snorting fire as they ride on hear their cry
Yippee-yi-yay-yippee-yi-yoh the ghost riders in the sky
As the riders loped on my him he heard one call his name
If you want to save your soul from hell a-riding on our range
Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride
Trying to catch the devil’s herd across these endless skies
Yippee-yi-yay-yippee-yi-yoh the ghost riders in the sky
Yippee-yi-yay-yippee-yi-yoh the ghost riders in the sky

— Ghost Riders in the Sky

What an odd thing to catch on TV, lol.